The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for connecting pieces of material together or for connecting two or more objects together. In certain embodiments, the present invention is related to apparatus and methods for connecting two or more pieces of furniture, tables or office equipment together in desired configurations. More specifically, the invention disclosed herein is directed to a novel clamp and method for connecting furniture, tables, privacy panels or other office equipment, or any other materials or objects to be connected securely together in a desired configuration.
Generally, various types of table and desk units are made available which improve the amount of workspace available to one in a typical home or office environment. Such units may include a privacy panel or courtesy panel permanently fixed to the unit that prohibits the movement or reconfiguration of the unit into different locations or arrangements as dictated by office space needs. When the time comes to disassemble and move these units, one must remove the screws or nails holding the panels in contact with the unit which typically results in damage to the unit as well as the appearance of unsightly holes and scratches to the surfaces of the furniture unit. In other instances, the hardware attaching the various panels to the unit is typically located underneath the unit or panel elements connected to the unit which is difficult to access and manipulate for assembling or disassembling the unit from the panel elements.
It is known in the art to utilize various clamping means to impart a straight-line or axial force between the desks, panels or tables being connected together. Such clamping means, such as the generally known C-clamp requires the use of a screw or knob which is turned to bring the ends of the clamp together to impart an axial compressive force between the desk, panel and/or table surfaces disposed between the ends of the C-clamp. It is often quite difficult, if not impossible, to position the clamp in a location suitable to allow the user to easily manipulate the clamp screw to secure the unit and panel elements together in a connected fashion. Such clamps tend to protrude from the assembly at various points, either internally or externally, affecting the aesthetic appearance of the desk and panel assembly and may cause injury to a person using the assembly where they may inadvertently contact those portions of the clamp protruding from the assembly. In similar manner, the user's clothing may be caught by the clamp hardware protruding from the clamp assembly causing damage to the person's clothing.